Coin slide and method of calipering



June 16, 1964 M. A. HALL COIN SLIDE AND METHOD OF CALIPERING Filed Feb. 21, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. M/TCHELL A. HALL BY ww ATTORNEY June 16, 1964 M. A. HALL com suns AND METHOD OF CALIPERING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1961 INVENTOR.

MITCHELL A. HALL BY ATTORN EY June 16, 1964 M. A. HALL CO'IN SLIDE AND METHOD OF CALIPERING 3 w m m 2 w 6 My h h S I 2 2E 4 5 8 I 2 2 2 U S v lrfl O m J 8 8 0 4 w e 5 o 8 1 c /fl /d Fileq Feb. 21

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INVENTOR. MITCHELL A. HALL BY 4Z7 ATTORNEY June 16, 1964 M. A. HALL 3,137,378

COIN SLIDE AND METHOD OF CALIPERING Filed Feb. 21, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 MITCHELL A. HALL ATTORN United States Patent 3,137,378 COIN SLIDE AND METHOD OF CALIPERING Mitchell A. Hall, 445 Rossford Ave.,

Fort Thomas, Ky. Filed Feb. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 90,863

15 Claims. (Cl. 194-92) Another object is to provide improved means for the detection and rejection of spurious coins or slugs fed into a coin slide.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a C0111 slide, simple and effective means for easily and expeditiously altering the coin slide. to'accept proper coins of different denominations, or authorized tokens in some 1nstances, as conditions may warrant. That is, a given coin slide may be adapted to accept quarters, whereas it previously accepted nickels; or possibly, in a multiple coin.

slide requiring two or more coins for proper actuation thereof, the combination of coin denominations required for proper actuation may be altered by thefauthorized mechanic, in the course of a service visit and without returning the coin slide to the factory or service headquarters. e

A further object is to provide for field servicing of coin slides to alter their coin-acceptance characteristics,-

with the use of simple and inexpensible substitute or replacement parts easily and quickly incorporated in the devices at minimum service costs.

Another object of the invention is to provide in'a coin slide, improved calipering means characterized by great simplicity, durability, and accuracy in performance.

The foregoing and other objects are attainedby the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the improved coin slide of the present invention, showing the slide plate in fully retracted or coin-accepting position.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same, showing the reverse side or bottom of the coin slide with slide plate fully retracted.

FIG. 3 is a top plan-view showing the coin slide plate partly advanced and carrying a proper coin and a spurious coin or slug, parts of the device being broken away in the interest of clarity of disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the slide plate and the coin and slug advanced farther than in FIG. 3, the slide plate being latched against further advancement by the presence of the spurious coin'or slug.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the coin slide, showing the relationship of parts prevailing in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged line 66 of FIG. 4. i

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 3.

cross-sectional view taken on FIG. 8 .is 'a diagrammatic view showing comparative calipering effects on various types of coins and slugs.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 9.-9 of FIG. 4. a i

FIG. 10 is a fragmental cross-section taken on line I I 1010 of FIG. 9, and showing the slide plate uninhibited by a latch element:

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10, showing the slide plate latched and stoppedat an intermediate stage of advancement.

3,137,378 Patented June 16, 1964 FIG. 12 is a fragmental view similar to the middle portion'of FIG. 3, and showing an-altered condition of the calipering means adapted for the reception of coins of different denominations.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6,

but showing coins of diflering-denominations, undergoing calipering within the coin slide as modified.

In the drawings, 16 indicates a coin slide plate which is longitudinally reciprocable within' guides 18 of a. sta- "tionary body member..2 0, between the fully retracted position of FIG. 1 and a position of full advancement at which the handle 22 stops near the mounting bracket 24 of the body member. The slide plate in FIG. 4 is in a partly advanced position.

The slide plate is provided with. one or'more apertures 26 and 28 to receive coins or tokens which are to be advanced ,with the slide plate when the latter'is actuated. The apertures are sized to accurately accommodate proper coins or tokens.

To the underside of slide plate 16 are fixed a pair of coin advancing pusher bars 30-30, and a pair of coin retracting. pusher bars 32,32, which perform to ensure movement of 'the coins with the slide plate until such time as the coins drop out of the sphere of influence of the slide plate, that is, until the coins. are properly calipered, .tested, and accepted as genuine. Accepted coins or tokens drop through an opening 34 of the body member when advanced thereto by the slide plate. In

this connection it may be noted that the coins of FIG. 3,

in advancing to the FIG. 4 position, descend gradually down as incline 19 from the level of the body member surface 21 (FIG. 6), to the level of the lower fixed coin support plate 23, which plate has an end 25 terminating at the opening34 of the body member. ,The coins upon reaching the end 25 of plate 23,, and having been calipered and tested, drop on the end of the plate and into a suit- .ablecoin receptacle, not shown. A similar arrangement,

more clearly illustrated, is disclosedin FIGS. 5 and 6 of my copending application Serial No. 18,325, filed March 29, 1960.

' The slide plate carries an intermediate abutment or keeper, which may consist of an edge. 36 of .atransverse opening 38 formed therein, adapted to engage one or more movable latches 40, 42, forstopping advancement'of the coin slide at anintermediate stage of its movement when- '.ever improper coins, or no coins at all, are deposited in q and advanced by the slide plate. The movable latches may and engage the abutment 36 as indicated upon FIG. 11,

unless the latches are held in restraintin accordance with FIG 10 to permit continued advancement of the coin slide. 1

,FIG. 9 illustrates in transverse cross-section one latch 40 held-in restraint-to permit continued advancementof the coin slide, whereas latch 42 is projected by. its compress ion spring-to stop the-slide.advancement, the net return of which'is to preclude advancement ofthe slide toward the home position, or the position of full ad:

vancement. As will be understood; full-advancement of the slide plate to home position eifectsthe dispensing of an article, the performance of a service, Omani; other a 3 action in return for the deposit of proper coins or proper tokens.

Each latch 40, 4-2, preferably is provided with an extending lip or the like St to limit projection of the latches into the slide plate aperture 38.

The latches are adapted to be controlled in their movements, by means which test or caliper the coins or slugs carried forward by the slide plate. Should an unacceptable coin or slug be deposited in and advanced by the slide plate, the calipering mechanism will permit the latch to intercept the slide plate as in FIG. 11.

On the other hand, should the calipering mechanism accept the coin tested, it will act to hold the latch in restraint as indicated upon FIG. 10, so that the slide plate may advance to home position, so far as the restrained latch is concerned. Of course, it is necessary that both latches be held in restraint if the slide plate is to be permitted full advancement, since an intercepting condition of one latch alone is obviously suflicient to arrest advancement of the slide plate. Thus it will be understood that full slide plate advancement is dependent upon the ability of both coins deposited in the slide plate, to meet the coin test imposed by the calipering means.

The calipering means may comprise a pair of arms 52., 54, each having a free end 56 to sweep across one of the latches as the arms rock independently about their common pivot 58, the pivot being stationary and anchored upon the body member 26. At the pivot end, each caliper arm may include pairs of inwardly directed perforate ears fill providing hearings in which the pivot 58 is received.

Means is provided for yieldingly urging the arms constantly outwardly or away from each other, such means being herein exemplified as a tension spring 62 anchored a at opposite ends to the end extensions 64 of the arms. By means of this spring, the free sweeping ends 56 of the arms are yieldingly urged normally out of interfering relationship with the latches 40 and 42 (FIG. 2), leaving the latches free to intercept'the slide plate when partly advanced, as heretofore explained.

in order to provide accurate and durable Wear faces for the sweeping ends of arms 52 and 54 to bearupon at times, the latch blocks may each be provided with a metallic clip 66 fixedly secured to the latch blocks by screws 68, said clips each carrying a projecting contact pad 7% to be swept by the swinging ends 56 of the caliper arms 52, 54. To assure that the ends 56 of the caliper arms may be guided onto the pads without risk ofbinding, the pads may be provided with small ramps'or camming ends '72 and 74, FIGS. 9, l0 and 11.

The free swinging end 56 of a caliper arm may either, come to rest upon a pad 70, as shown at the left in FIG. 9, or it may override the pad '70 as shown at the right in FIG. 9, in which latter eventthe latch 42 is uninhibited by its associated caliper arm end .56, to project into the aperture 38 or the slide plate for locking the slide plate. Thus, when the caliper arm end sweeps completely over and oil the pad 70, as at the right in FIG. 9,

or whenever the arm end fails to move from the initial position of FIG; 2, its associated latch is free to lock'the slide plate when advanced to latching position.

On the other hand, when the swinging end 56 of a caliper arm rests upon the pad, as at 40 of FIG. 5 (see also FIG. 10), the latch is restrained from entering the stop opening 38 of the slide'plate, wheretore this restrained latch is unable to stop the slide plate Whenever bothlatchcs are so restrained,-the slide plate, of course, may be advanced to fully extended position for releasing a vendable article or initiating some. other form "of service. The slide plate may carry at its advancing end 76 an upstanding screw 78 or otherform of abut ment to actuate the vending mechanismin ordinary manner.

For purpose of explanation, let it be assumed that the coin slide plate of FIG. 3 is apertured to receive two coins of quarter-dollar denomination. In FIG. 3 a proper slug of the same diameter but of slightly greater thickness, is indicated at 5-25. The slide plate here is fully retracted, and the ends 56 of caliper arms 52 and 54 are in normal spread-out position free of interference with the slide plate latches 40 and 42.

As the coin and the slug are partly advanced by the slide plate (FIG. 4) they reach the calipering station which is between the arms 52 and 54, wherein the inserts are measured for acceptance or rejection.

As shown in FIG. 4, the coins or slugs advance with their outer peripheral portions riding against stationary side rails 80 and 82 of the body member 20, while the inner peripheral portions contact the calipering shoes 84 and 86 (FIG. 6) carried bythe movable caliper arms; Accordingly, each of the inserts'(coins or slugs) may move a caliper arm, through the intermediary of one of the calipering shoes, as the insert is advanced by the slide plate. U

In FIG. 4, it may has movedthe caliper arm 52 for disposing its freeend 56 in register with the pad of latch 40, as 'in FIG. 10, to prevent the latch from engaging the slide plate abutment 36 when the slide'plate is advanced toward fully extended position. This latch accordingly will not interfere with the slide plate advancement, due to the presence of the.

proper calipering of the coin.

On the other hand, the relatively .thick slug 8-25 has caused the free end of caliper arm 54 to sweep across and beyond the pad 70 of the other latch 42 (FIGS. 9.and

11), thereby leaving this latch free to tilt as in FIGfll, for blocking advancement of the slide plate in its travel toward full advancement. The slugthusly has been rejected, and may be retrieved by withdrawing the slide plate to the initial position of FIG. 3, along with the proper coin C-ZS. That is, the device rejects both'in-l panied by dropping of the inserts or coins through open-- ing 34, preferably into a suitable. coin box loc'atedbe neath the slide plate.

With reference to the caliper. shoes 84 and 86, 6, these may take the form of blocks of durable material such as hard plastic, metal, or the; like, .butte'dfagainst the upright ears 88 of the caliper arms 52 and 54, and

secured to'said ears in any suitable manner so as to move therewith. Where the shoes accommodate the coin edges, the shoes are provided with longitudinal straight channels 99 preferably in the form or" V-grooves as shown, so that the coins will enter the grooves or channels a distance dependent upon the thickness of the coin or slug introduced therein.

proper coin (3-25, resulting in a greater swing ofjthe As will be understood, the shoes 84 and 36 are identical, and their groove bases are normallyfdispose'd at equal distances from the side rails 80 and 82, so that two identical proper coins will act upon the shoes equally to move the caliper arms equal distances ontothe latch pads, for restraining the latches.

shoes 86, occupy unequal linear distances markedby the differential between lines -a" and' b. 'In order for the 'coin C-ZS tomove the shoe as far as the thickinse'r't 8-25 moves it, the coin would have to be larjgeriin diameter than C-25, by an amount exemplified by the ;intermediate insert of FIG. 8.

be noted that the proper coin C-ZS i As FIG. 6 indicates, the relatively thick'slug 8-25 enters groove 90 a lesserjdistance thandoes the r A thick insert such as the slug. 8-25 will, of course, have a different effectwith respect to the sweep distance imparted to the caliper arm.

To illustrate graphically the principle involved, refer-v ence is made to FIG. 8 showing how two inserts suchas slug 8-25 and coin (2-25, having the same diameters but different thicknesses, will in acting upon identical caliper.

' A slug thinner than the proper coin C-25, but of the same diameter, would enter the groove of shoe 86 farther than does the proper coin, and would thereby fail to move the shoe and its associated caliper arm. Such a slug would be rejected, due to failure of the caliper arm end 56 to intercept the latch pad 70, in which case the latch would be free to plunge into the slide plate aperture 38 and stop the slide plate advancement toward the fully extended position. The thin'slug, and any other slug "or coin accommodated in the slide plate, thereupon would be retrievable by withdrawing the slide plate to the initial position of FIG. 1.

The transverse stationary angle bracket 92, which is fixed to the body member by screw 94, has formed therein an elongated slot 96 loosely accommodating the free ends of the caliper arms, for stabilizing the arms as they move toward and from the latches 40 and 42. Adjacent to bracket 92 is a fixed channel member including a pair of upstanding convergent wings 98 the simple purpose of which is to limit swinging movements of the caliper arms, as clearly indicated upon FIGS. 2 and 5. -If desired, the

swinging movement of the caliper arms outwardly may be limited by the ends of slot96, as FIG. 7 indicates.

As prevously mentioned herein, the coin slide of this invention may easily be adapted to accommodate coins of different denominations. The adaptation involves a substitution of slide plates 16 having coin receptive openings 26 and 28 of the necessary sizes to accommodate the coins, and a simple revision of the calipering means.

To revise the calipering means, it is necessary only to reduce or increase the span between the side rail and the shoe at the calipering station; that is, the span between 80 and 84 of FIG. 6, or the span between 82 and 86. Such a revision is indicated upon FIG. 14, wherein the span has been reduced by interposing ashim element 160 of proper size butted against the side rail 82. In this instance, the coin to which the device has been adapted is a dime or IO-cent piece C-10. The shim element 100 may be simply placed against rail 82, its width being so gauged as to cause the coin in passing to swing the caliper arm 54 and the proper distance for disposing the arm end 56 in latch-restraining position upon pad 70, according to FIG. 10. 7

As was expalined previously in connection with slug S25, a slug substituted for the dime of FIG. 4 would have to be of proper thickness, for otherwise the arm 54 would be moved either too far or too little to'restrain the latch. Accordingly, the latch would intercept the slide 'plate, as indicated by FIG. 11.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show the apparatus revised to accommodate a nickel and a half-dollar,identified respectively as C- and C-50. r In this instance, the shim element 102 is somewhat narrower than the shim element 100 of FIG. 14, to provide the properspan fora nickel to properly actuate the caliper arm 54.

In the case of the half-dollar C-50, neither ashim element nor a shoe such as 86 is employed, since the span between rail 84 and the upright car 88 of arm 52 may be gauged initially to properly move the arm 52 for calipering a SO-cent coin.

It may be noted here that ear 88 is deformed to provide the V-groove9t) without the aid of a shoe such as 86. In the preferred construction of the apparatus, each caliper is ordinarily included in most coin slides a ratchet mechanism which performs at anintermediate stage of slide plate advancement, to preclude retraction of the slide plate prior to its reaching the fully advanced position. Such a ratchet mechanism is shown incidentally upon the "accompanying drawings, but constitutes no part of the present invention. 1

It will suflice to statethat the'ratchet mechanism includes ratchet teeth 104 on the slide plate, engagable by pawls 1 06 actuated by spirngs 108 anchored to the body member of the coin slide structure. The pawls may pivot upon a transverse shaft 110 supported at its ends upon stationary brackets 112 upstanding uponthe body'mem- 'ber. These parts are here mentioned onlyforthe purpose of avoiding conjecture or misunderstanding concerning the disclosure of the drawings. Said parts maybe ignored so far as the present invention is concerned.

The apparatus herein disclosed is highly effective to detect and reject spurious coins or slugs, to a degree herearm ear or flange 88 may be deformed .or grooved as at I 90 in the course of manufacture, as such deformation will not interfere with subsequent application of "a shoe such as 86, when a coin of lesser diameter ist'o beaccommodated.

1n accordance with previous explanation, the V-groove 90 in every instance will play a part in determining the sweep of the caliper arm end 56, dependent in degree upon the thickness of'the coin or'slug introduced thereto.

As will be understood, the apparatus may include various coin-testing devices additional to the calipering means,

as is common practice, but such additional devices are.

of no concern to the present invention. Likewise, there tofore unattainable. The means employed in attaining the perfection characterizing the present apparatus is simple and inexpensive, and the durability thereof ensures trouble-freeoper'ation over extended periods of usage. It

is noteworthy, moreover; that with a minimum of efiort and expense, the device may be expeditously adapted, in the field if desired, to accommodate coins of various denominations in order that the fee for services or'goods Y Finally, it should readily be appreciated that the nature of the slide plate latches is such as to efiectively'absorb abusive impact which could, if directed to' the caliper mechanism or other relatively delicate parts, result'in extensive damage and repair difficulties. The most common form of: abuse is that of violent. and forceful reciprocation of the slide plate, usually resorted to when the device refuses spurious coins or slugs. The latches which assume the abusive impacts may be made as large and as durable as ma be necessary to withstand the abuse,-without sacrificing any delicacy of the. coin testing operations or the ease 'of slideplate manipulation.

It is .to be understood that although the invention isf herein disclosed aspertaining to a multiple coin operated apparatus, the features of improvement may readily be incorporated in a single coin operated apparatus with the attainment of equal meritorious advantages. Various other modifications and changes in structural details may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims,

without departing from the spirit of the invention.

- -What is claimed is: j A coin controlled device comprising in combination,

a slide plate including means to advance a coin-like in- -sert,"said slide plate being shiftable betweenan initial position and a position of full advancement, a body member reciprocably supporting the slide plate,.acoin-caliper pivoted relative to the body member and comprising an extending arm and a shoe disposed along the path of advancement of said insert, a stationary rail on the body member for directing an insert toward the shoe, means yieldingly operative upon the coinrcaliper for urging the ,shoe toward the stationary"rail,' :tor, caliper an insert. advanced between the rail and'zthecaliper shoe by the slide plate, said shoe being V-grooved in the direction" of slide; -plate-advancement for accommodating an insert to a depth within said groove dependent upon the thickness of the insert, and means normally free of connection with the caliper arm and suppor cdffor freermovement independently-of the caliper arm and adapted-to be .controlledby I movement of the caliperarm into engagement-therewith at the; predetermined points, to selectively latchthe slide .plate against full advancement. U s

.2, The invention according to ain 1, with a Y in the form bf'a black positioned against saidj ra il opposite to said shoe to establish a predetermined spacing between the rail and the shoe conforming to the diameter of a coinlike insert projectable therebetween by the slide plate.

3. A coin controlled device comprising in combination, a slide plate including means to advance a coin-like insert, said slide plate being shi ftable between an initial position and a position of full advancement, a body member reciprocably supporting' the slide plate, a coin-caliper element movable relative to the body member comprising an extending arm and an insert-contacting face disposed along the path of advancement of said insert, guide means on the body member for directing an insert toward said face, means yieldingly operative upon the coin-caliper element for urging the insert-contacting face of the latter toward said guide means, for calipering an insert advanced therebetween by the slide plate, said face being V-grooved in the general direction of slide plate advancement for accommodating an edge of an insert to a depth within said groove dependent upon the thickness of the insert, and

means normally free of connection with the caliper arm and supported for free movement independently of the caliper arm and adapted to be controlled by movements of the caliper arm into engagement therewith at predetermined points, depending'upon the extent to which the edge of the insert enters the V-groove, to selectively latch the slide plate against full advancement.

4. The invention according to claim 3, wherein the said guide means includes a bodily insertable and removable shim block to be abutted by an edge. of a coin-like insert simultaneously .with impingement of such insert upon thesaid insert-contacting face of the coin-caliper element.

5. A coin controlled device comprising in combination, a slide plate provided with a latch keeper means and a plurality of apertures each to receive a coin-like insert, said slide plate being shiftable between an initial position and a position of full advancement, a body member reciprocably supporting the slide plate, a pair of coin-calipers pivoted on the body member each comprising an arm having a free end and a shoe disposed along the path of advancement of one of the inserts and the shoe having a coin edge engaging surface, a pair of stationary rails on the body member for directing inserts toward the said shoe "surfaces, and means yieldingly urging the shoes of the calipers each toward one of said rails, to caliper an insert advanced between a rail and a'caliper shoe surface by the slide plate, at least one of said shoe surfaces being V- grooved in the direction of advancement of the slide plate, for accommodating an edge of an insert to a depth within said groove dependent upon the thickness of the insert, displaceable latch means pivotally supported upon the body member and normally free of operative connection with the coin calipers to selectively engage said keeper means of the slide plate, and means engaged by the caliper arm ends upon pivotal movement of the calipers for selectively displacing said latch means from engaging relationship with said keeper means in accordance with a predetermined extent of movement of each caliper arm induced by an acceptable insert traversing the caliper arm shoe surface. 1

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the combination includes a removable shim element applied to one of the stationary rails, for adapting the device to the calipering of inserts of different diameters.

7 each pair of the stationary and movable abutments being a 7. A coin controlled device comprising in combination, a

a slide plate provided with a latch keeper and a plurality of apertures each to receive a coin-like insert, said slide plate being shiftable between an initial position and a position of full advancement, a body member reciprocably supporting the slide plate, a pair of coin-calipers pivoted on the body member each comprising an arm having a free end, and a shoe disposed along the path of advance ment of one of the inserts, a pair of stationary rails on the body member for directinginserts toward the shoes of the calipers, means yieldingly urging the shoes of the calipers each toward one of said rails, to caliper an insert advanced between a rail and a caliper shoe by the slide plate, a pair of latches each pivoted upon the body member to independently plunges into latching relationship with the latch keeper of the slide plate, and yielding means for normally moving the latches toward the keeper, the free ends of the caliper arms being extended each to sweep across one of the latches between outer and inner limits at which the latches are movable free of interference from the caliper arm ends, said arm ends restraining-the latches when dis-j posed intermediate the limits of sweep aforesaid, to preclude latching of the slide plate.

8. The device as set forth in claim 7, wherein the combination includes a removable shim element applied to one said slide plate being shiftable between an initial position and a position of full advancement, a body member supporting the slide plate for movement, a pair of coin-calipers, movable relative to the body member and each comprising an arm having a free end, and an abutment disposed along the path of advancement of one of the inserts, a pair of stationary abutments on the body member for directing inserts toward the abutments of the movable calipers, means yieldingly urging the movable calipers and their abutments each toward one of the stationary abutments of the body member, to embrace the edges of inserts advanced by' the slide plate each between a stationary abutment and a movable abutment of the caliper, oneof provided with a V-groove extending in thegeneral direction of slide plate advancement, for accommodating an insert edge to a depth within each groove dependent upon the thickness of the insert, whereby the thickness of the passing insert determines the extent of movement of the movable abutment and its associated caliper arm, a pair of latches each mounted for movement upon the body member to normally independently plunge into latching relationship with the latch keper means of the slide plate at a preselected partly advanced position of the latter, the

free ends of the caliper arms being extended each to sweep across one of the latches between outer and inner limits at which the latches are movable free of interference from the caliper arm ends, said arm ends restraining the latches when disposed intermediate the limits of sweep aforesaid, to preclude latching of the slide plate.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9, wherein the combination includes a removable shim element inserted in the i space between a stationary abutment and a cooperative movable abutment, to adapt the device for caliperin'ginserts of different. diameters.

11. A coin controlled device comprising in combination,

a slide plate provided with a latch keeper and an aperture to receive a coin-like insert, bodymeans supporting said slide plate for reciprocal movement between an initial position and a position of full advancement, a coin-caliper pivoted on said body means and comprising an arm having a free end and a shoe disposed adjacent to the path of advancement of an insert carried in the aperture of the slide plate, a stationary rail on said body means for directing an insert towards said shoe of the caliper, means yieldingly, urging said shoe of the caliper toward said rail, to caliper.

an insert advanced between said rail and said caliper'shoe by. the slide plate, a latch means pivoted on said body means, for movement into latching engagement with said; latch keeper of .the slide plate, and yielding means fore] urging movement ofjsaid latch means toward said latch keeper, said free end of the caliper arm being positioned to sweep through a path relative to said latch means be-.

tween predetermined limits at which the latch means is movable free of interference from the caliper arm end and said arm end when disposed intermediate the said limits of sweep thereof, being adapted torestrain movement of the latch means to preclude latching of the said plate.

12. A coin controlled device comprising in combination, a slide plate provided with a latch keeper and an aperture to receive a coin-like insert, body means sup porting said slide plate for reciprocal movement between an initial position and a position of full advancement, a

coin-caliper movable relative to said body means and comprising an arm having a free end and an abutment disvanced by the slide plate between the stationary abutment and the movable abutment of the movable caliper, one of the said abutments having a substantially V-groove extending in the general direction of slide advancement for accommodating an insert edge to a depth within the groove dependent upon the thickness of the passing insert, Whereby the thickness of the passing insert determines the extent of movement imparted to the movable abutment and the caliper arm, latch means supported on said body means to normally move into latching relationship with said latch keeper at a preselected partly advanced position of the slide plate, said free end of the caliper arm being positioned to sweep through a path relative to said latch means between predetermined limits at which the latch means is movable free of interference from the caliper arm end, and said arm end, when disposed intermediate the said limits of sweep thereof, being adapted to restrain movement of the latch to preclude latching of the slide plate.

13. A coin controlled device comprising a slide plate, a body means supporting the slide plate for reciprocal movement between an initial position and a position of full advancement, said body means being adapted to support a coin-like insert for sliding movement in the direction of advancement of said plate, said slide plate including means to receive and advance a coin-like insert on the body means, said slide plate being provided with a latch keeper, a relatively long coin-caliper arm having a pivot end attached to said body means to swing in a plane parallel to the plane of the slide plate, the arm having a free swinging inner end extending from the pivot end in the direction of advancement of the slide plate, a movable abutment carried by said arm adjacent to said pivot end urging turning of said arm on its pivot in'a direction to move said movable abutment toward the stationary abut- 1 and positioned atone side of the path of advancement of an insert by the slide plate, a stationary abutment on the body means and adjacentto the opposite side of said path to be engaged by an advancing insert and to direct the insert toward said'movable abutment, means yieldingly ment to caliper an insert advanced between the abutinents by the slide plate, latch means movably supported on said body means, means normally urging movement of said latch means in a direction to engage said latch keeper. at a predetermined position of advancement of the slide plate, and means for operatively coupling said inner end of the caliper arm with said latch means in a manner to restrain movement of the latch means into engagement with said keeper means when the caliper arm is caused to swing by movement of an acceptable insert between said abutments, by said slide plate.

14. The invention according to claim 13, wherein said slide plate has an underside-which rests upon the supporting body means, the said latch keeper comprising an edge of an opening in the slide plate, the said movably supported latch means lying below said slide plate, said means normally urging movement of the latch means comprising a spring, thesaid movement of said latch means under the urging of said spring being upwardly through an opening in the supporting body means, for engagement with said edge of the slide plate opening,and said meansfor coupling said inner end of the caliper arm with the latch means comprising a clip element carried by the latch means and'carrying a contact pad to be swept by the said =free swinging inner end of the caliper arm.

15. The invention according to claim 14, wherein said clip element has a camming ramp on each of two opposite ment of the arm from one side of the pad to the other;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Strayer Nov. '8, 1955 sides thereof to guide said arm end onto the pad in move- 

1. A COIN CONTROLLED DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A SLIDE PLATE INCLUDING MEANS TO ADVANCE A COIN-LIKE INSERT, SAID SLIDE PLATE BEING SHIFTABLE BETWEEN AN INITIAL POSITION AND A POSITION OF FULL ADVANCEMENT, A BODY MEMBER RECIPROCABLY SUPPORTING THE SLIDE PLATE, A COIN-CALIPER PIVOTED RELATIVE TO THE BODY MEMBER AND COMPRISING AN EXTENDING ARM AND A SHOE DISPOSED ALONG THE PATH OF ADVANCEMENT OF SAID INSERT, A STATIONARY RAIL ON THE BODY MEMBER FOR DIRECTING AN INSERT TOWARD THE SHOE, MEANS YIELDINGLY OPERATIVE UPON THE COIN-CALIPER FOR URGING THE SHOE TOWARD THE STATIONARY RAIL, TO CALIPER AN INSERT ADVANCED BETWEEN THE RAIL AND THE CALIPER SHOE BY THE SLIDE PLATE, SAID SHOE BEING V-GROOVED IN THE DIRECTION OF SLIDE PLATE ADVANCEMENT FOR ACCOMMODATING AN INSERT TO A DEPTH WITHIN SAID GROOVE DEPENDENT UPON THE THICKNESS OF THE INSERT, AND MEANS NORMALLY FREE OF CONNECTION WITH THE CALIPER ARM AND SUPPORTED FOR FREE MOVEMENT INDEPENDENTLY OF THE CALIPER ARM AND ADOPTED TO BE CONTROLLED BY MOVEMENT OF THE CALIPER ARM INTO ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AT THE PREDETERMINED POINTS, TO SELECTIVELY LATCH THE SLIDE PLATE AGAINST FULL ADVANCEMENT. 